The United States government announced that it will implement, within an estimated 45 days, a simplified system to process refunds of the tariffs that the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional last February.
The measure seeks to comply with the landmark court ruling that determined the Executive Branch exceeded its authority by imposing global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a power that, according to the highest court, belongs exclusively to Congress.
In a statement filed with the U.S. Court of International Trade, Brandon Lord, Executive Director of Trade Programs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), explained that the agency currently does not have the technical capacity to process immediate refunds manually.
According to Lord, “we are making every possible effort to have this new functionality of the automated system (ACE) ready within 45 days. This new mechanism will allow companies to submit a simplified declaration, minimizing the administrative burden and speeding up electronic payments.”
The trade outlook remains tense
Despite the confirmation of the refunds, the trade outlook remains tense. While the refund system is being prepared, the administration of Donald Trump has already announced the implementation of new 15% tariffs under alternative legal frameworks to replace those that were invalidated, triggering a new wave of lawsuits from governors and attorneys general from several states.
For now, importing companies will have to wait for the publication of the official CBP guidelines to begin the formal claims process through the new digital platform.
